The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1887-06-30


crops can be raised in abundance, and
they do not have to struggle with i'm
povished land.
One eff the most prominent features
is the Stock Department, containing
herds of Short-horns, Ayshires, Gallo
ways, Holstiens and Herefords, with a
specimen or sc of Jerseys.
The climate f~avoring b~eef-raising
and the abundance of forage crops as
sisting, they pay little or no attention
to dairy work, but raise cattle for sale
for beef breeding purposes, which they
sell at regular times each year. This
department pays a handsome profit.
1t also includes sheep-pens and pigge-
ries, filled with choice varieties.
From the want of prominence Of
the dairy feature, the College has to
buy it's butter.
The students, 295 in number, are
required to do between two and three
hours manual work each %school-day
on the farm, in the gardens, on the
lawn, in the stables and barns, and in
shop work of the Mechanical Depart
ment. For most of the farm work
the students receive pay at the maxi
mum rate of eight cents per hour,
which is graded to meet the ability and
fidelity of the scholars. Some students
about pay their expenses in this way.
Some of such work is considered edu-
cational and not paid for. The work
in the shop also is not paid for. The
boys work at all kinds of work at the
compost heaps, ditching, general farm
work, especially in the garden and hor-
ticultural work, which is taught in a
very practical way. The boys are taught
in the field first, in planting, budding,
grating and pruning, in layering and
other methods Of propagation, and af-
forwards in the classroom. The facul-
ty are enthusiastic in their work, and
the students seem to be equally so.
They, the students, are bright, good
looking fellows, and the training they
receive will fit them to make their
mark in the future Of Michigan. The
classics are not included in the curri-
culum-only the thoroughly practical
branches of education, for everyday
use.
1t may be asked, how is the college
work brought to the attention of the
farmers in Michigan, and how is it
popularized | would answer in me
sentence: By holding Farmers Insti-
tutes. OF course the college work speaks
for itself where it is known, but if the
farmers will not or cannot come to the
College, the College can 60 to the
farmers, and does do it. These boys
are taught at the school and the farm
ers at their own centres.
[ enquired as to the minutiae of
these Institutes. A professor goes to
to a place where some desire has been
expressed to have an Institute or
where the College thinks it we'll to
hold one, and draws around him a
number of prominent farmers; they
then arrange a programme, a certain
part of which is to be discussed by one
or two professors, the remaining part
by selected farmers. The College men
may be desired to speak on silos,
drainage, fertilization, grasses, insects,
cattle or any other subject germane to
agricultural pursuits. When the pro-
gramme is made up it is spread abroad
and advertised for about six weeks,
and when the time comes, | am told
that it is not %infrequent to have as
many as 1000 to 5000 people in at
tendance. The College can impress
itself upon the people IN this as in no
other way. Then a bond of sympa-
thy in the mutual work seems to be
created, and the faculty are daily in re-
ceipt of communications from all parts
Of Michigan, az to various points in
agriculture.
At this College, we were impressed
with the fact that agriculture can be
taught and taught successfully, that
the best methods can not only be
adopted, but can be impressed upon
the attention of the farmers. What
good results can permeate the entire
State.
If any State in the Union needs
such results it is in my opinion in
North Carolina. Our salvation, in this
line, depends upon diversified farming
and good farming.
We next went to Chicago and Wis
tied the superb Manual Training
School, founded by the Commercial
Club of Chicago, and enters for the
present term 100 students We mot